Wild Safari
by Knopp
Summary: This Story is AU. - Life never goes as planned. Kate learned that lesson when she was 19. But even during the worst times there is a possibility for joy, when Castle stumbles into her life in a quite unusual way...


_I've got this new story idea – hope you like it ;)_

_Some info: This story is AU, Kate is 19 at the beginning of the story, Rick is 24 (turning 25) and Alexis is 2.  
_

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**Chapter 1:**

three months ago:

"Come on Katie!" Jim was already putting on his jacket on his way to the door. "We don't wanna be late. It's almost seven already."

"Daaad! I'm only in New York for three weeks. I would rather meet up with my friends while I'm here. Can't we go to dinner next time?"

"No Katie, you promised and you barely saw your mother since you're here." he looked at his watch again "now go get your coat."

"Okay, okay dad." She put on her coat and they rushed out of the door towards the little italian place five blocks down the street. "Dad could you slow down? I'm sure mum will be late anyway. She's probably caught up in this case she's working on."

"Yeah, maybe you're right. It feels like I haven't seen her in ages. She's working like crazy." They walked in silence for a while, before they finally reached the restaurant and got in.

Kate looked around quick before she spoke "See dad, it's like I told you. She isn't even here yet. We could have taken our time." They both took of their coats and went to find a free table and sit down.

Not two minutes later a waiter showed up at their table to ask them their orders.

"We are still waiting for my wife" Jim responded "Maybe you could give us a few more minutes?"

"Sure. No problem, sir." And with that Jim and Kate were alone again.

They were doing some small talk, talking about Kate's classes and about the vacation Jim was planning to take Johanna on next summer.

(…)

Two hours had passed and they had decided to start without her. Kate had already finished her pizza with pineapples and ham and Jim his lasagna.

"Well, I guess your mother really forgot that she was supposed to meet us here." Jim said as he took a few bills out of his wallet "Why don't we head home? Maybe she is already there."

"Okay. And if it's okay with you guys I could still meet up with some of my friends?" Kate asked her father and made her puppy eyes at him. It almost always worked on him.

"I'm not going to decide this without your mother. But you're nineteen, so you should decide on your own what to do and what's right and wrong. We can just give you advice and you can decide whether you take it or not." They were making their way home, this time walking slow, taking their time.

As they rounded the corner to their apartment building they saw a man standing in front of the door and as they came closer the man turned around, hearing them approaching.

"Good evening, sir, madam." the man began to speak "My name is Detective Raglan. Are you James and Katherine Beckett?"

Upon hearing a cop was standing in front of him Jim's heart was beginning to beat like crazy "Yes that would be us."

"Could we go inside? I really need to talk to you."

"What's up? What happened?" Kate interrupted "Is it mum?"

"Please, let's go inside first. I would rather not discuss this outside for everyone else to hear." They did as they were told and once they were inside Detective Raglan began telling them how they had found the body of Johanna Beckett in an alley, stabbed to death. They weren't sure yet about motives and they didn't know who did it, but she still had all her money and jewelery and it wasn't a sexual assault either. So it all pointed to a random act of violence. And since she was found in Washington Heights the crime could have been committed by one of the gang members who ran this neighborhood.

Jim sat down before he even heard the name of his wife. He knew what was about to come. Kate followed right after hearing the name of her mother and the declaration that she was dead. She still heard everything the detective said, but was crying the whole time.

When Raglan had finished he took both their hands "I'm very sorry for your loss. Mr. Beckett. Ms Beckett." Kate and Jim accompanied him to the door "I know it's hard, but I still need you to come in tomorrow to identify the body."

Jim took a deep breath to calm himself "Sure, we'll be there by ten."

After closing the door behind Detective Raglan they both just stood there like statues. It felt like it was a dream. Neither of them spoke and an hour later they decided in silent agreement to just end the day for today and go to bed. They both barely slept that night. Jim lay awake most of the time staring at the now empty side of the bed where not a day ago his wife had been. He was thinking about this evening, about everything that had happened and what he possibly could have done to prevent her from getting killed.

Maybe if they hadn't just gone to dinner without her. Maybe if he had tried harder to reach her on her phone until she answered and not just put it aside with a simple 'she's caught up in work and forgot about time'. Maybe if he had insisted on picking her up from work like he wanted. But no, she had convinced him not to.

In another room of the apartment Kate was crying. She couldn't believe she had lost her mother, her best friend. She had barely seen her these past few weeks, because she had wanted to spent time with her friends. Now she regretted it. And when had been the last time she told her mother she loved her? She couldn't remember. Did her mother even know?

Eventually both of them fell asleep …

(…)

The next day Kate was up early. Her father was still asleep, so she decided to look into the office of her mother. Maybe she found out what her mother had been working on and why she was killed. Not that she didn't trust the police, but a little extra help could never hurt, right?

She looked through some files and after a few minutes she found a letter from a man named Joe Pulgatti. The letter was only a few weeks old and this man, Pulgatti, was asking her mum for help. He was claiming to be innocent and wanted help to proof it.

In that very same file she found a map and in this map an alley had been marked. Just as she saw the name she heard her father approaching from behind.

"Morning Katie." He looked horrible.

"Morning dad." Kate probably looked the same. She hadn't slept much either.

"Katie, what are you doing in your mothers office? You know you're not supposed to look into her files."

"I know dad, but I think I found something. I think her last case might be related to her death."

"Don't Katie." He sighed and put a hand on her shoulder.

"What?"

"Leave the investigation to the cops. I don't want anything to happen to you. I've already lost your mother."

"But dad!"

"No! Katherine Houghton Beckett, you may be an adult, but this time you listen to me." he took the file out of her hands and pushed her out of the room "And now come on, we have to be in the precinct in an hour."

They sat down to eat some cereals and drink a coffee, before they called a cab to take them to the station.

In the precinct Detective Raglan was already waiting for them and again told them how sorry he was for their loss.

Then they were shown down to the morgue to identify the body. As soon as Kate saw her mother lying there she began to cry again, throwing her arms around her fathers chest and being hugged back.

After a few minutes she calmed down and was able to ask the detective what she had planned to ask.

"What about the case? Anything new?"

"I'm sorry Ms. Beckett, but like I said yesterday, the most likely scenario is still a random act of gang violence."

"Did you know what she was working on?"

"Just part of it. We've collected her files from her workplace this morning and we're still looking through them."

"I believe this last case she was working on was related to her death. Would you look into that?"

"If we believe it's relevant, than yes."

"Oh and that guy she was trying to help, could you find someone to take over?"

"Joe Pulgatti? Why?"

"If my mother believed in his innocence and was trying to help him no matter what, even to the point were she would get herself get killed for this, than he really is innocent. Her death shouldn't just be for nothing."

"I'm sorry Ms. Beckett, but that's not really my business. This man you're talking about killed an FBI agent. He deserves to be in prison." He finally put the blanket back over Johanna's body "I can't help you."

"Can't? You just don't want to, right?" Kate was getting angry "Okay, than I will find someone who will."

"Knock yourself out." with that Raglan turned around and left the morgue.

Jim put his hands on Kate's shoulders "Kate, don't. I asked you not to. It's too dangerous."

"Dad, I just have to. I have to know what this all really is about." She told him before she also walked through the doors and left, leaving Jim standing there, looking at his daughters back and hoping everything would turn out right.

(…)

Three days had passed since and Kate had already managed to convince three of her mothers coworkers to take over the case of Joe Pulgatti. Diane Cavanaugh and Jennifer Steward, plus a document clerk Scott Murray.

Walking home this evening she felt somewhat happy. Maybe she could fulfill her mothers drive for justice. On her way home she stopped by a grocery store to buy some ingredients for dinner and some beer for her father. He had drunken a lot these past few days, but she hoped it was only a passing thing. His way of grieving for the moment. As she got out of the shop and walked home she passed a few alleys and couldn't help but look into everyone of them, remembering her mother.

And the last thing she saw was a homeless guy, before everything went black...

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_Should I continue?_


End file.
